As an audiologist, I was trained to identify, diagnose, and manage or treat disorders of the inner ear. One of the most common disorders I help treat and manage is called tinnitus.
Tinnitus is commonly described by my patients as ringing or buzzing in the ears that can vary from low to high-pitched. The noise can be present in one or both ears, and it may be constant or returning. Tinnitus is a common problem affecting over 50 million Americans, according to the American Tinnitus Association. It can be caused by a number of health conditions such as ear and sinus infections, hormonal changes in women, brain tumors, head injuries, diseases of the heart or blood vessels, noise-induced hearing loss, Ménière’s disease, and thyroid abnormalities. Most often, however, tinnitus is not a sign of a serious health-related issue. But, if the noise is loud or prolonged, it can affect concentration and cause emotional turmoil. Like I tell my patients, if you are suffering with tinnitus, it’s important to understand the causes and what you can do about it.
The Three Most Common Causes of Tinnitus
Hearing Loss Ninety percent of people who have sensori-neural hearing loss also report tinnitus. This form of hearing loss is natural and tends to be bilateral (in both ears). If you are noticing that you are unable to hear high-frequency sounds, you may have age-related hearing loss. This type of hearing loss is sometimes accompanied by tinnitus.
Noise-induced hearing loss Tinnitus can be caused by noise-induced hearing loss. This means that your tinnitus developed after extended exposure to noisy environments. People who work in factories or at construction sites or who commonly attend loud concerts may develop this type of hearing loss. Such noisy environments can slowly damage the tiny sensory hair cells in your inner ears that transmit sound to the brain, resulting in hearing loss and ringing sounds and sensations.
Traumatic Brain Injuries Another common cause of tinnitus is traumatic brain injury (TBI). Motor vehicle accidents, falls, and assaults can damage the brain and cause the sensation of ringing or buzzing within the ears. Even if the brain injury did not cause the tinnitus, some medications used to treat cognitive problems are associated with the development of tinnitus. This type of mild TBI most often affects active-duty service members. In fact, according to an article published by Military Medicine, U.S. military members have 32.3% prevalence from all causes and can be linked to PTSD.
Treatment Options
Many times, those who suffer with tinnitus assume that there is nothing that can be done to alleviate their symptoms. This is not true. If you are experiencing a loud or consistent case of tinnitus, you should seek a professional assessment. Audiologists, like me, are trained to understand and recommend solutions for many hearing-related problems.
Although no available treatment can entirely cure tinnitus, certain management techniques can be used to lessen its effects. These techniques include retraining therapy, tinnitus activities treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy, and other psychologically based therapy approaches. The amplification of hearing aids may even work to reduce the ringing. To determine which treatment method works best for you, I will review your medical and psychological history as well as your lifestyle practices, including diet, sleep, and exercise. I may also have you complete a tinnitus assessment that measures your ability to match pitch and loudness to the sounds created by your tinnitus. The test also determines what sounds can be used to mask or suppress the phantom noises. Through these tests, audiologists can determine an approach to managing your tinnitus that works best for your specific case.
What People Try at Home and What the Evidence Says
Many people try to manage tinnitus at home before seeking professional help. Some approaches have a reasonable evidence base; others are widely marketed with little clinical support. Here is a plain-language summary of what the research shows.
Sound masking and background noise. Using a fan, white noise machine, or sound therapy app to introduce low-level background sound is one of the most consistently supported self-management strategies. It does not treat tinnitus, but it reduces the contrast between the tinnitus signal and the surrounding acoustic environment, which many people find reduces how intrusive the tinnitus feels, especially at night. This is the home-based version of what audiologists use in formal sound therapy and tinnitus retraining therapy. It is unlikely to cause harm and is a reasonable first step.
Reducing caffeine and alcohol. Commonly recommended, but the evidence is mixed. Some people report that caffeine worsens their tinnitus; controlled studies have not confirmed a consistent effect across populations. Alcohol temporarily dilates blood vessels and can alter tinnitus perception, with effects varying between individuals. Keeping a personal log to track whether either consistently affects your tinnitus is a reasonable and low-risk approach.
Stress reduction and sleep. Tinnitus and stress have a bidirectional relationship. Stress can worsen tinnitus perception, and tinnitus disrupts sleep and increases stress. Mindfulness-based practices, including mindfulness meditation, have the most consistent evidence among psychological self-management approaches. They do not reduce the volume of tinnitus, but they reduce the distress associated with it and can meaningfully improve quality of life for people with chronic tinnitus. This is why cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness are included in formal tinnitus management programs.
Hearing protection. If noise exposure (whether occupational, recreational, or from earbuds at high volume) is a contributing factor to your tinnitus, protecting your remaining hearing is one of the most effective things you can do. Further noise damage can worsen both hearing loss and tinnitus. This is a prevention step, not a treatment, but it matters.
CBD oil. Some tinnitus sufferers report relief from CBD oil. The evidence at this point is preliminary. There are no large randomized controlled trials specific to tinnitus, and the mechanism by which CBD might affect tinnitus perception is not fully established. What is clear is that CBD does not address the underlying cause of tinnitus, and quality, dosage, and formulation vary widely between products. I have written about this in more detail: see CBD oil for tinnitus for an honest summary of what is and is not known.
Supplements marketed for tinnitus. Ginkgo biloba, zinc, magnesium, and various branded tinnitus supplements are widely marketed. The clinical evidence does not support any supplement as an effective treatment for tinnitus. Some may have modest effects in specific subgroups; none has demonstrated consistent benefit in well-designed trials. Be cautious of products claiming to “cure” or “eliminate” tinnitus. No such treatment exists.
What home management cannot do. Home strategies can reduce how much tinnitus affects daily life, but they do not identify the cause. Tinnitus associated with sudden hearing loss, one-sided tinnitus, tinnitus accompanied by dizziness or vertigo, or tinnitus that has changed recently warrants a professional evaluation. These presentations require audiological and sometimes medical assessment to rule out conditions that need treatment.
For a full overview of tinnitus evaluation and management options at Oro Valley Audiology, including sound therapy, hearing aids, and tinnitus retraining therapy, visit our tinnitus treatment page.
The Next Step
Why suffer with tinnitus when I am here in Tucson, Arizona to help lessen your symptoms? Reach out to Oro Valley Audiology today to set up an appointment, or schedule it yourself right now on our website! I can’t wait to meet you and help you achieve peace of mind.
